Strathclyde Cycle Campaign
In my nearly 20 years of policy work, I’ve never known a time where there have been so many major consultations live at the same time. It’s time to get busy – plus there’s the local elections on 5 May, now less than 100 days away.
Continue reading “Consultation Digest (National) Issue 10, 28 Jan 2022: The one with the carrots”
A repeat consultation for Pollok and next steps at an Ayrshire harbour (in time for Burns Night). Also, South Lanarkshire’s Ayr Road (A70) pops up again.
After criticism of Spaces for People measures in South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire, now East Renfrewshire‘s Ayr Road (A77) completes the hat-trick.
Continue reading “Consultation Digest (Local) Issue 104, 20 January 2022”
The first Digest of 2022 has a few loose ends to clear up from last year. Firstly, there’s the proposed regeneration of Shawlands Arcade on Kilmarnock Rd (as shown in split image, above). Secondly, there’s North Lanarkshire Council’s Active Travel strategy, which is a long way off the pace set by Glasgow’s.
The last edition featured negative reaction to Spaces for People lanes in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire. Another issue has come up elsewhere – a petition against SfP lanes between Paisley and Howwood in Renfrewshire.
While cycling is usually on the agenda in Glasgow it’s often missed out in surrounding areas, which feed the city’s traffic issues. Cars are king in suburban towns so any projects that try to redress the balance will need support. On a more positive note, Sustrans are funding minor upgrades to existing NCN routes in Renfrewshire and elsewhere.
Continue reading “Consultation Digest (Local) Issue 103, 6 January 2022”
A total of 12 people joined Andy on the Infrastructure Ride to the East, braving the sunshine and seeing many different types and conditions of infrastructure in the east of Glasgow.
The overall verdict? Improving, but could do better, much better. Let’s start with some good infrastructure:
Continue reading “GoBike ride to the East – the verdict”
Our first ride of the year is the now-traditional Infrastructure Ride and this year we will be heading east to see the London Road, or East City Way cycle lanes – will it all be as good as we hope?
Cumbernauld Road will be included in our travels too – see here for further details and get that bike ready for the ride!
This time of year is known for excess and there’s a glut of consultations and responses in this issue. Contra-flow cycling is a theme with responses from Glasgow ruling it out while South Lanarkshire have quietly implemented it in East Kilbride.
However, EK’s Spaces for People project (as seen in featured image, above) is up for consultation and needs support to counter local criticism.
Without wanting to tread on the toes of our national consultations digest, Transport Scotland’s long-delayed pavement parking consultation has started. Most GoBike members will have experiences to add to that!
Continue reading “Consultation Digest (Local) Issue 102, 23 December 2021”
We are a few month’s into the current parliamentary term and here come the consultations on government policy. I expect quite a few over the coming months. The 4th National Planning Framework is the main focus of this digest with two live consultations – from the Government and from a Parliamentary Committee.
Continue reading “Consultation Digest (National) Issue 9, 10 Dec 2021: The one after the Budget”
The number 101 can mean an introductory course in a US college. Alternatively, it could be a torture chamber of your worst nightmares in the book Nineteen Eighty-Four. The Digest covers both bases with some horribly complicated plans to try to explain in simple terms.
If only this didn’t apply to any of the latest plans from Glasgow’s Avenues Project. While safer routes are welcome, issues with side streets don’t seem to have improved since Sauchiehall St. The lanes on Argyle St west (Central Station end, shown above) seem to be based on a retro movie poster.
Elsewhere, the south-west of Glasgow has the most consultations in this issue (there’s no prize, by the way).
Continue reading “Consultation Digest (Local) Issue 101, 9 December 2021”
Tonight at our AGM Tricia Fort, who has been instrumental for many many years to the GoBike campaign, stood down from her role on our committee. She has been a key component to GoBike, leading the campaign for many years, as well as fighting hard in keeping up our consultations aspect of the campaign. Tonight, she echoed her calls to other campaigners to step up and get more involved – and what better inspiration for us than Tricia’s footsteps. We will miss her dearly but knowing Tricia, we are sure that she is going to continue to give up her free time for many years to come to make Glasgow and in fact our world a better place.
Messages of thanks to Tricia have flooded in and so we wanted to share some of them here.
Continue reading “Thank you Tricia Fort!”
Meet 10am Bell’s Bridge, Congress Road, Glasgow.
We will cut across the south side of Glasgow to Rutherglen. We’ll pass through Overtoun Park then continue across town to the Cuningar Loop Woodland Park. After that, we will return to Glasgow Green and the riverside through Dalmarnock. The ride is around 12 miles long, so will finish before lunchtime.
See https://www.gobike.org/about-us/cycle-rides for further details of the GoBike rides, which are led by Andy Preece, with always something new to see.